Singing for Fun – March meeting

As we’ve now grown to expect, another grand afternoon’s singing with a lovely crowd of eighteen songsters, two of whom were newcomers on a ‘tasting’ visit. Judith got the show on the road with some voice projection and posture exercises and alternated with me in introducing (and playing) a wide variety of different genres of songs throughout the session, which just flew by, ending too soon! George did another solo, Spanish Eyes, which we joined in with him singing after a few verses. Later in the programme Pauline, at my request, sang a solo to the vinyl record of Kathleen Ferrier’s What is Life Without Thee. Quite – indeed totally – unrehearsed (I’d sprung the idea on her without warning), but she responded magnificently. Then, for good measure, she offered (gladly accepted) to sing the haunting piece, Pie Jesu, which she performed without any accompaniment. With Easter not far away we sang two of my favourite hymns, There Is A Green Hill Far Away and When I Survey The Wondrous Cross, not especially because of their religious significance, but because they both have strong melodies and are easy to sing to (Ann is to be thanked for providing the hymn books). Since it was Dame Vera Lynn’s 100th birthday a few days before, it was a must to sing to a CD of her White Cliffs of Dover and We’ll Meet Again. The latter a timely reminder that, because of the way the calendar works and the occasion of Good Friday, we shan’t see each other for five weeks. Hopefully we’ll do that on 28th April. Robert Cook 01858 469337.